The US is really ramping up its war on intellectual property infringement, a war which I'm sure will be just as successful, cheap and supported by the people as the wars on drugs and terrorism. The US has started seizing the domain names of various websites through ICANN - not because owners of these sites were convicted of anything, but merely because complaints have been filed against them. Anyone want to take a guess how long it will be before the US government blocks WikiLeaks? Update: The blocks function outside of the US too. In other words, the US is forcing its views upon the rest of the world once again.

Taking over websites without a court order - and even outside USA? WTF!?

First thing a domain register does not need a court order to remove a domain entry or override it. Never has required it infact.

This is no different to the rules of safe harbor that google uses to protect self. You are not guilty of adding the crime if you are informed of your service being used for illegal actions and you block it.

.com .net .org .edu .mil .info and .us are all USA controlled domains. So if you have a registration on them what is illegal in the USA grounds for having the domain taken.

Now since ICANN is also in the USA it could be used to apply USA will to other countries. Either clean up your countries domain or we delist your complete country.

The same rules of safe harbour could be used to create IP black holes for sites wanted blocked. They don't have to stop at the DNS level. DNS level is nothing more than a warning shot.